NORMA RAE
US, 1979, 114 minutes, Colour.
Sally Field, Beau Bridges, Ron Leibman, Pat Hingle, Barbara Baxley, Gail Strickland.
Directed by Martin Ritt.
Martin Ritt has directed enjoyable social-minded films since the '50s (several by the current writing team of Irving Ravetch and Harriet Frank: Hud, Hombre). He touches his films generally with nice sentiment, especially here in a contemporary union story of a southern cotton mill and its conservative workers energised by a New York organiser (a fine performance by Ron Leibman) and local girl Norma Rae (Sally Field most impressive in her Cannes Award winning role). 1978 management, though hostile, is not as brutal as in former union movies and the film appeals to emotional understanding (themes simplified and felt). What remains strongly is Sally Field's vivid portrayal of an ordinary woman.
1. An interesting and entertaining story? A portrait of real human beings? A portrait of an American society? Its American impact, for non American audiences? The merit of its awards, especially for Sally Field?
2. The choice of Panavision for this rather small-scale story? Colour photography, the atmosphere of the town itself, the homes, motels, churches and especially the factory? An atmosphere of authenticity? The background of the music, songs, the basic score, the final song and its lyrics?
3. The warmth and skill of Sally Field's performance? The focus on Norma Rae as a person, her strengths and weaknesses, her qualities? A credible American woman? The importance of the contribution of the credits and establishing Norma Rae and her background?
4. The focus on Norma Rae as a person? Seeing her at home, her relationship with the family, her children and their fathers? Seeing the union and its problems through her eyes? The drudgery of the work and its presentation in detail, her parents at work? The men in her life and her going out, being bashed? An average kind of woman with defects? The significance of her friendliness with Reuben and the repercussions on job promotion? Her trying to do it well? Her friends being alienated? Her giving up of the job? Her friendship with the women in the factory? An ignorant woman yet confident? Intelligent with a capacity to learn? The friendship with Sonny and its effect on her? The picnic and the children? His proposal and her acceptance, reasons for it? The wedding and its effect on her? New how life? The gradual involvement in the union work? Her devotion to it, her response to the challenge? The change in her life, outlook? Home life suffering? The smear campaign? The significance of the encounter with Sonny and the clash? Her telling the truth to her children after coming out of jail? The complete declaration of the truth about herself and them? The importance of Sonny's pledging his support to her and her confidence in this? The farewell to Reuben?
5. Reuben and his role in the film? His New York background and explanation of it? His union involvement and devotion and commitment? His appearing at the door Norma Rae's father's rejection? The encounter with Norma Rae at the motel and helping her? The ball game and their discussion? The story of his life, his relationship with his mother, with Dorothy? His having his eye on Norma Rae and her role for the unions? His persuasive skill? The tour of the factory and his challenging the officials? His speech at the church and the effect on people? The significance of the story about his grandfather? His enlisting Norma Rae's support, bullying her when she was in the wrong? The meetings and the airing of grievances? The importance of the success and gradual increase of membership in the union movement? The harassment of the law? Bailing Norma Rae out? His farewell to her? The importance of the loving and affectionate relationship and yet its remaining platonic? A detailed portrait and a convincing character?
6. The effect of change on Norma Rae? The scenes of her devotion to her work? The promotion of the union and the family suffering and her understanding of this? The insults in the factory, the significance of her copying the notice from the board? The build-up to the strike? The importance of the loyalty of people to her and understanding her stances? The significance of the arrest and her being in jail? What kind of woman was Norma Rae at the end of the film?
7. The portrait of her parents and their conservative attitudes, her mother and the deafness, her work around the house? Her father and his suspicions of change? The poor conditions, poor pay? His sore arm and the pressures on him still to work? His collapse and the emotive atmosphere of his funeral?
8. The picture of the officials at the factory, as a group and individuals, harsh attitudes, the supervision by the unions and the remedying of bad management? The build-up to the strike? The atmosphere of the ballot and the group of people there, the antiunion people and their supporters, the pro-union people? The picture of the pastor and his suspicious attitudes towards Norma Rae and not allowing his church to be used?
9. The character of Sonny, as a pleasant young man, the effect of the divorce on him, his dating Norma Rae, out drinking with Reuben and Norma Rae? The bond with her, the picnic and the proposal? The wedding? The possibility of a successful marriage? The children living happily with each other? His complaints about her involvement, his reaction to the meeting in the house and especially the presence of the negroes? His feeling neglected? The reconciliation and his promise to abide by her through everything?
10. The portrait of the women in the factory, Bonnie and her friendship with Norma Rae, the various women and their difficulties? The old people working at the factory, the old men? The focus on the negroes and their problems?
11. The union themes? The history of unionism in the United States? The power of capital and industry? The need for unions? The victimisation of the workers? Noise factors, poor pay, inhuman conditions? Exploitation of the workers? Exclusive rights? The cowering of the workers and their attitudes? The importance of so many factory sequences in the film?
12. The impact of the various meetings, the build-up to the strike, the balloting?
13. Themes of justice and rights, the dignity of human work? The humanity of the film? The simplifying of the issues for the benefit of communication by film and emotionally?
